Improvement in devices for melting snow and ice in the gutters of buildings



r F. 0. ROGERS. Device for Melting Snow and Ice in the Gutters of Buildings No. 206,357. Patentd July 23,1878.

UNITE TAT E S ATENT Futon.

FREDERICK O. ROGER-S, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR MELTING SNOW A ND ICE IN THE GUTTERS 0F BUILDINGS.

Specilication forming part ol'LettcrsPatent No. 206,357, dated July 23, 1978; application Iilvd January 2, 1877.

To all about "it maycoizcern:

Be it known thatI, FREDERICK O. Romans, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a Device for Melting Snow and Ice in the Gutters and Conductors of Buildings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the gutter .and conductor of a building having my inrprovement applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are modifications of my invention to be referred to.

Buildings are often damaged to a considerblc extent by leakage caused by the gutters and conductors becoming obstructed with ice and snow, which force the water back under the roof.

My invention has for its object to remedy this difficulty; and consists in the introduction within the gutters and conductors of pipes to be heated by the passage through them of hot air, steam, or hot water, whereby which extends up through the conductor B, and

is connected at its upper end with a long flattened tube, 4, which is closed at both ends,

and is placed within the gutter A, as seen in Fig. 1, forming an enlarged extension of the pipe a, the upper, edge of the fiat tube being in close proximity with the caves of the roof. I) is an escape-outlet, the upper end of which is bent down to prevent the entrance of rain or snow.

The. pi c a is intended to be supplied from any suita le source with hot air, steam, or hot' water, which passes up through it and the en larged flattcned portion within the gutter I gland out through the escape'b, whereby the pipe is heated, thus causing the ice or snow to i-be rapldly melted or prevented from accumulating; and by this means the guttersand and the gutters conductors of a building can be kept clear and free for the passage of water, and the leakage heretofore occasioned entirely' 'irevented.

Instead of the tube a being provided with an enlarged flattened 1 extension, 4, placed within the gutter, as above described, it may be of the same size throughout its length, and be bent into the form seen in Fig. 2, the horizontal portion lying within'the gutter along its bottom; orthe tube qmay be bent into the form seen in Fig. 3, thelowcr portion, 5, (bent. in a serpentine form) lying alon g the bottom of the gutter, where it melts a channel in the ice, the upper portion,- 6, melting another channel close to the eaves, while the intermediateserpentineportion, 7, serves to melt chan nels to connect those formed by the portions 5 and 6, the operation of freeing the gutter from ice and snow being thus rapidly per formed, on account of the extent ofheatingsurface and the manner in which the pipe is disposed.

The upper end of each of the pipes shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is open and bent-o er-,-t'orn1- ing an escape similar to that shown 11 Fig.

I do not claim the sending of heated air or steam or hot water into a conductor and gutter for the purpose of melting ice or to pre-' vent ice from accumulating therein. Neither do I claim the passage of heated air or steam or hot water throughtubes or pipes ororifices or air-chambers outside and next to the conductor and gutter for the purpose of Incling ice or preventing ice from accumulating in the conductor and gutter; but

' Whatl do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters-Paton t, is-

In connection withan eaves-gutter and its' conductor or leader, the air and water tight heating-pipe a, extending within and throughout the entire length of the conductor B and the gutter A, substantially in the manner de scribed, and adapted to circulate hot air, v steam, or hot water, as and for. the purposes set :t'erth.

VJitnss my hand this 29th day of December, A. D. 1876.

Fianna. .zrcK o. nod-nus.

In presence of- RE. TnsoHEnncnER, I W. J. Cinnamon 

